key features of spreadsheet software

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 key features of spreadsheet software

Introduction:

People work with numbers every day. Corporations track profits and losses, economists generate graphs of growth of the country's economy; statisticians calculate the probability of crashing the market, and women manage their household budgets. To perform all the tasks, people use spreadsheet programs.

Definition:

A computer spreadsheet program is a software tool for entering, calculating, manipulating, and sets of numbers in it. The specialty of computer spreadsheet software is working with numbers that are an integer. It can hold a large amount of data arranged in rows and columns.


spreadsheet

Features of Spreadsheet Software:

Like word processors, the spreadsheets software also varies significantly. For example; LOTUS123, MS-EXCEL, etc. But all of them have the following basic and unique features of computer spreadsheet software:

  •  Grid of Rows and Columns:

The computer spreadsheet software is a grid of rows and columns. Each row is assigned a number and column a letter. The intersection of a row and a column forms a cell in spreadsheet software. Each cell has a reference number that is formed by combining the column number and row number e.g A1, G18, etc. A cell contains labels or values. A label is a text entry such as '' Gross Salary'' whereas value can be a number, a data, a formula, or a formula's result.

  • Formulas:
It is used to express the mathematical relationship between cells.

  • Functions:
It is used to perform certain tasks.

  • Commands:
It is used for manipulation can also be performed.

  • Text Manipulation:

Some simple text manipulation can also be performed in a computer spreadsheet software
  • Print:
Allows you to send a document of any type to a printer to get a hardcopy of a document

Starting to Use Spreadsheet:

To understand the functionality of computer spreadsheet software you should be familiar with its interface. The interface represents the way through which you can interact with the computer spreadsheet software.

The Spreadsheet's Interface

Like a word processor, a spreadsheet's interface consists of the main document window and a set of various tools to manipulate data. In the computer document window, the document of any type is displayed. In a computer spreadsheet software, you actually work in a grid of rows and columns called a worksheet in it.
 The collection of related worksheets forms a workbook.
 The worksheet could contain just one worksheet. New spreadsheets are rated as 3D-Worksheet, which are like a pad of worksheet. It is due to these features that the data in one worksheet can be used for calculations performed in another worksheet of the same or a different worksheet.

Entering Data in a Worksheet

The cell is the basic unit where the data is entered in a worksheet. The data can take a variety of forms i.e. text, numbers, dates, and formulas. The cell also can hold graphics, audio files in spreadsheet software. There are two statuses of a cell i.e. active and passive. Before entering the data, the cell must be activated. Using the mouse or arrows keys, you can select a cell to make it active. A bold rectangular border indicates an active cell in spreadsheet software. Every cell in the worksheet of the spreadsheet software has an address.
when a cell is selected you can enter data by simple typing on the keyboard. You can also enter the data in an active cell through the formula bar in computer spreadsheet software. When a cell containing the formula is activated, its formula appears in the formula bar, which you can edit there. 
Like word processors, the basic operations of cut, copy and paste work in the same way here in worksheets.

Basic of Worksheet

As it has been discussed that the data entered in a cell can take a variety of forms but the most common of these are:


worksheet

  • Labels (Simple text)
  • Values (Numbers)
  • Formulas

LABELS are used to identify a value or a series of values in spreadsheet software. Labels help make the worksheet meaningful. It is important to note that formulas can be applied only on values; these cannot be applied to labels.

VALUES are just numbers that you enter in different cells of a worksheet of spreadsheet software. These can be whole numbers (0,1,2,.....), decimals( have value point), negative numbers (-), currency, and other types of values including scientific notations.

Working with FORMULAS is the most powerful feature of computer spreadsheet software.  The formula can be calculated based on values or formulas in other cells. Formulas can involve basic arithmetic operators. More complex formulas can even evaluate logical conditions and perform certain calculations based on the result of the evaluation. Conditions may evaluate to true or false in this.

Cell References and Ranges

A cell Reference tells formula to look up the contents of the referenced cell in a computer spreadsheet software. This increases the flexibility of the formula. The change in the contents of the referenced the flexibility of the formula.

Relative and Absolute Referencing:

Calling cells by just their addresses (such as "A1") is known as relative referencing when a  formula contains relative referencing and it is copied from one cell to another, the computer spreadsheet software does not create an exact copy of the formula. It will change cell addresses relative to the row and column and they are moved to. e.g, if a simple addition formula in cell C1 i.e. =(A1+B1)is copied to cell C2, the formula would change to=(A2+B2) to reflect the new row in spreadsheet software.
To prevent this change, cells must be called by absolute referencing and this is accomplished by placed dollar signs ''$'' within the cell addresses in the formula. 

Named Ranges 

Range names are names that you define to represent a cell or cell range on a worksheet. This range of names can further be used in formulas instead of cell addresses or ranges. They also make it easier to use, maintain, and understand the formulas in the worksheet. e,g the formula =C10*100/C8 calculate the percentage of marks. After giving names to cells, this can be expressed as =Marks-Obtained *100/Total -Marks

Defining Range Names 

To define a name for a  cell or range of cells selects Insert Name Define from the menu bar. The following dialog will appear. After assigning names to cells or cell ranges you can use these names in formulas instead of the addresses. e.g the above formula can be rewritten as = Value1+ Value2 after assigning the name Value1 and value2 to cell G8 and Y10 respectively.

Working with Formulas

Formulas are entered in the worksheet cells and must begin with an equal sign ''=''. The formula is written in the formula bar in spreadsheet software. The formula includes the addresses of cells whose values will be manipulated. After the formula is applied to the cell, the calculation executes immediately. See the example below to view the formula for calculating the subtotal for several textbooks. The formula multiple the quantity and price of each textbook and adds the subtotal for each book.

Linking Worksheet 

While applying the formula in a worksheet, you may want to use the value from a cell in another worksheet within the same workbook.

Formatting and Customizing Data

The contents of a highlighted cell can be formatted in many ways in computer spreadsheet software. 
  • Cell Formatting
  • Creating a Custom Format
  • Aligning Cell Contents
  • Merge Cells and Wrap Text

Printing Worksheets and Charts

The chart can be printed in the same way as a worksheet. Before printing the format of the page must be set in computer spreadsheet software.
  • Page Orientation
  • Margins
  • Header/Footer

Sheet

Check Gridlines if you want the gridlines dividing the cells to be printed on the page. If the worksheet is several pages long and only the first page includes titles for the columns, select ROWS TO REPEAT at the top to choose a title row 

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